


Apprenticeship - Kestrel Xiao Long (BEING REWRITTEN)

by SkyChaotic



Category: RWBY
Genre: Fan Characters, Gen, I'll add more characters and stuff as the story goes on, Next Generation, RWBY next generation, Team SPRK
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-03-05 10:27:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13385898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyChaotic/pseuds/SkyChaotic
Summary: Kestrel was different from her family. She looked nothing like her close family, taking after her granduncle in appearance. While most of her family was outgoing and trusting, Kestrel was quiet and constantly getting distracted by things that have nothing to do with people. She often questioned silently who she took after, or if she even took after anyone at all.Unknown to her, she was more similar to one of kin then she knows. One she'll soon meet...----Previously known as "Successorship"





	1. First Sight

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is my first time using Archive of Our Own, and so far I'm liking it, but it's new to me so please be patient. Also, any critiques are welcomed ones. I have a bad habit of missing things while I'm going over works. I also wrote this pretty fast so I don't know if it seems rushed or anything.
> 
> Also sorry it's so short! I'm terrible at writing beginnings! I'm sure it'll be better as I go!

Kestrel watched from the living room window as Leo and her mother trained. Leo, her older brother by three years, was going to Beacon Academy in a week, so he wanted to get a few more training sessions in with her since it'd be a while until they could do it again. 

The thought of her older brother leaving caused Kestrel to let out a small sigh, and walked away from the window. In a week, she'd be heading back to Signal every afternoon, and there she'd be talked about for her lack of social interaction, as well as her kin. She's too quiet. She looks nothing like her family. She'll never be half the Huntress her mother is. Kestrel had heard it all. She didn't care though, as she as always the one who got the last laugh, especially when it came to her scores from Signal. She had a perfect score, while most of the kids that poked fun at her were barely making average grades. 

Kestrel smiled a bit as she thought of ignorance of her bullies. They didn't realize that you needed intelligence as well as skill in battle to make it into any of the big schools. You had to be really good to get into Beacon, seeing as that's where some of the great Huntsmen in all of Remnant went. 

Thinking a bit more about the look on their faces of when they were denied access into Beacon, Kestrel headed upstairs. On the wall just above the last step hung a picture of Kestrel's family. She looked at it for a moment. 

The youngest people in the family were placed upfront, which consisted of Kestrel, Leo, and her younger cousin Serenity. Her mother and her aunt were standing side by side to the left, while her grandfather and granduncle, who hated being called "granduncle", were standing off to the right. There was one person missing from the main part of the photo, and that was her sister, Oso. She was behind everyone, trying her best to hide from the camera, however Kestrel could just barely seeing her golden blonde hair in the shadows. 

Kestrel's small smile faded at the thought of Oso. Her older sister by a year and a half, the two of them never got along. Not because of Kestrel's doing, but because Oso was constantly needing to be in the spotlight. She was narcasistic and manipulative, and just last month, she had grown tired of her family and walked out. She cut off all ties, and remember's how heart broken Leo and her mother were, her mother more so. As well as she hid it, Kestrel could see it.

Unlike her family, Kestrel didn't miss her sister. In fact, she was glad she was gone, as horrible as it sounds. Kestrel had seen a side of Oso that no one else had. She was agressive and cruel, physically and emotionally. 

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Kestrel went into her room, opening her window before she sat down on her bed. Her eyes gazed across the room, nothing catching her eye. She slightly hummed to herself, grabbing her scroll and scrolling through the news. Nothing particulary caught her attention, and she set down her phone, laying back on her bed. 

 

 

Blinking a few times, Kestrel looked around. It was dark out now, meaning she had fallen asleep. Rubbing her eyes, she looked around for the sound that had woken her up. Her blue eyes wandered the room, until she caught a pair of crimson eyes looking back at her own. On a shelf across the room from her, a black bird was stationed, looking at her with what seemed to be curiousity. Kestrel didn't move, simply keeping the locked gaze between blue and crimson eyes. After what seemed a longer time then what it really was, the bird hopped off the shelf and fluttered onto the window sill. It looked back at Kestrel, shaking it's feathers before flying out. Kestrel stood up and looked out the window, watching as the bird landed on a nearby tree. 

The bird stared back at her for a few more moments before flying back into the woods and out of Kestrel's sight. She stepped back, hesitantely closing the window before heading back to her bed. What was with that bird? Why had it entered her room? More importantly... why did it stare at her like that?


	2. Meeting

Three times. Kestrel had seen the same bird three more times. It did the exact same thing every time she saw it. It would fly away, land on a nearby building or tree, look back at her, and fly away. Now, Kestrel was doing something she was mentally calling herself stupid for. She was following it.

It was around midnight, and her mother had gone to bed hours before. It was a Friday night, so Kestrel didn't have to worry about waking up early the next morning. Kestrel was dressed in a black hoodie with two dark gray stripes and a dark blue pair of jeans, and her black hair was kept up in a ponytail. She had seen the bird in the tree nearest to the living room, though she didn't let it know that she had seen it. 

Kestrel adjusted her satchel that wrapped over her shoulder, and walked out the front door, locking it behind her. She had her keys on her so she didn't need to worry about being locked out. The leaves nearest to her shook as the bird poked out, and it seemed to be analyzing her. "Well, you've got my attention. I'll follow you, if that's what you want me to do." Kestrel spoke, both to herself and the bird. The bird looked at Kestrel for a few more moments before flying out of the tree and towards the backyard. 

Shaking her head at what she was doing, Kestrel followed it, not taking her eyes off it. It looked back at her after it landed, and Kestrel sighed. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." 

The bird nodded as if it understood her and flew off into the woods, and Kestrel continued after it. It would occasionally land to let Kestrel catch up, and Kestrel would always catch up. Kestrel followed the bird for what seemed like hours, not thinking about what she was doing as much as she should have. 

That was, until she heard a familiar growl when they reached a clearing. 

 

 

Kestrel froze in horror as she heard the low snarling sound of Grimm. She didn't move for a second, simply watching as the bird flew off without her following. Was this a trap? Had one of her mother's enemies set this up? Kestrel shook her head, and jumped out of the way as the Ursa lunged at her. She rolled back onto her feet, breathing heavily. There was no way she could make it back to her house, and besides, she didn't want to lead it back to her home. The Ursa growled and swiped at Kestrel, and she backed quickly out of the way. 

The Grimm kept lunging at her, and Kestrel kept dodging, until she tripped over one of the tree roots that stuck out near the edges of the clearing. Her head slammed back on the trunk of tree, and she let out a hiss of pain. She stared with wide eyed at the monster as it let out a loud roar. 

Before it could make anymore movements, it let out a cry of pain as a loud bang echoed, similar to a gunshot. The Ursa swung it's head around, and as it did, Kestrel could see someone standing at the opposite end of the clearing

The figure was tall, female, and had black hair and crimson eyes. She looked similar to her mother, though much older. The woman drew her sword, which glowed a deep red, and looked at the Ursa with an unamused look. The monster roared and charged at the woman, though she simply stepped to the side, causing the creature to skid and slam into a tree. The woman stabbed the Ursa through it's head, and the monster roared in pain. In response, the woman kicked it with her black-heeled boots, and yanked out the blade harshly, looking to cause as much damage as possible as she did so.

It worked, and the Ursa backed off, still growling, before turning tail and bolting away from the scene. The ground shook for a few moments as it bounded away, but soon everything was silent. Kestrel let out a sigh of relief, and attempted to stand. However, pain soared through her leg, and she collapsed. She looked down at her left leg, which had a large bleeding claw mark on her thigh. 

"Don't move. You'll only make the wound worse." Kestrel looked up, confused at who had spoken to her for a moment, before realizing it was the woman. "Who...who are you?" Kestrel asked, trying her best to ignore the pain in her leg, though it wasn't working very well. "I would have at least expected a 'thank you' from a Xiao Long, but I suppose you aren't like them very much, hm?" 

Kestrel squinted her eyes at the woman. "How-?"

"I know your family well. I suppose mother never told you about me." Her breath hitching, Kestrel asked again. "Who are you?" The woman smiled a bit and approached Kestrel. She crouched down to her level, and spoke.

"Raven. Raven Branwen."


	3. Blood Ties

Kestrel looked at Raven confusingly. She shared the same last name as Qrow. Who was she? How did she find her? How did she know about her family? The questions blurred through her head, and she started feeling a bit dizzy. She rubbed her eyes, feeling slightly light-headed. Raven moved back a bit, and looked at Kestrel's leg. "Stretch out your leg." She ordered, and Kestrel didn't have the strength to argue. 

"It got you pretty bad. You've lost a lot of blood." As if on cue, Kestrel's vision began to blur, the pain and blood loss causing her to feel feint. Her breathing became heavier, trying to get air into lungs, which felt more and more difficult as Raven looked over her wound. Raven seemed to notice this, and looked at Kestrel. Kestrel locked eyes with her for a moment before passing out.

 

 

Kestrel went in and out of consciousness several times, each time she saw a different part of the forest, and then what seemed like a room. Through her short periods of awareness, she felt someone carrying her, and she guessed it was Raven. She knew very little about this woman, but it seemed like she knew everything about Kestrel and her family. 

Kestrel opened her eyes a bit as she adjusted to the light. She sat up a bit, looking around her surroundings. The walls were almost black, though they had a slight tint of red to them. A low to the ground table was in the middle of the room, and behind her head was a tea set on a table higher then the other. As she scanned across the room, a small gust of wind blew through the area, causing the front "wall" to move. Sitting up, Kestrel then noticed that she wasn't in a room, but a tent. 

Glancing down at her leg, which was wrapped up in bandages, she cautiously put weight on it to test to see if she felt any pain. Relieved and grateful, she stood up, only feeling a slight soreness as she walked. She peaked out of the tent, and her eyes widened at the sight she saw. Pushing back the tent's opening and walking out onto the wooden platform in front of it, she saw what looked to be what was left of a camp. Most of what looked to be small makeshift buildings were in shambles. Wooden logs that were once used as a wall leaned against one another, and there was clear evidence of frost and burn marks on them. A few leaves blew by, landing lightly on the ground in front of her. Kestrel walked off the platform, moving towards the middle of the ruined camp.

"Tragic, isn't it? A whole camp destroyed with no signs of life other then a single tent remaining." Kestrel jumped a bit, and turned around. Raven was standing on the platform where she once was, coming out of seemingly no where. "Where...are we?"

"The remains of my tribe." Raven answered, and Kestrel turned her head towards the remnants of the camp. "I suppose you'll have questions. About this place and who I am."

Kestrel nodded, and Raven gestured for her to come back into the tent. She listened, curiosity taking over her sense of fear. Entering after Raven, she sat across from her at the small table on the floor. The silence in the air was heavy, and Kestrel tried not looking at Raven eye to eye. 

After a while, Kestrel spoke. "So...you said your last name is Branwen, right?" Raven nodded. "Are you related to Qrow Branwen?"

"I am. He's my twin brother. I'm not surprised he's never told you or your siblings about me."

"Why wouldn't he want to talk about you?" Kestrel questioned, and Raven sighed. "Because he doesn't agree with what I did with my life. Well...more like what I didn't do with my life." Kestrel cocked an eyebrow at her, confused. "What you didn't do? What didn't you do?"

"I didn't stay with Tai or Yang." Kestrel blinked a few times. "Didn't stay...? What do you mean by that?"

"With the amount of times you get questioned about your looks or your personality, I would've thought you would've questioned your mother by now." Kestrel thought for a moment, and stared at Raven for a bit. Then, it clicked. They looked like duplicates of each other, minus the fact that Kestrel had blue eyes instead of crimson red. "We look...very similar..." Kestrel whispered, mostly to himself, and Raven nodded. "That we do. I'm not too surprised. After all, we're closer then you and Qrow are blood wise."

"We are-?" Kestrel's eyes shot open at the realization. Her grandfather never talked about her grandmother. She had been constantly told not to bring it up, even by her own mother when she had questioned her. The most she had gotten out of Qrow was that she wasn't around anymore, so Kestrel had assumed that her grandmother was dead. 

"You're...my grandmother." Kestrel spoke, almost breathlessly. "That I am."

"But...why? Why weren't you around? Why didn't you ever talk to me or Leo? Or Mom? Or even Granddad? After all, if Mom's your daughter that means you and Granddad must have at least been together at one point." Raven looked away, a bit of guilt twinkled in her eyes. "That's what I meant by 'I didn't stay'."

"You left...? Why?"

"Well, it's a long story. One that I, well I'd have to tell you the reason why I brought you here." Kestrel shifted herself to get more comfortable. "I'm listening."


	4. Offer

"Are you sure you want to know the truth? Ignorance is bliss after all." Raven asked, and Kestrel nodded. "Absolutely. Ignorance is bliss only for those who can't handle the truth." The small comment Kestrel made Raven smile a bit. 

"Alright. Do you know what Qrow's 'special gift' is?" Raven questioned, making air quotes when she said "special gift." "You mean his semblance?" Raven shook her head. "No. Qrow and I, back when we both went to Beacon Academy, were apart of a team called team STRQ. The four members of our team were Summer Rose, your grandfather, myself, and Qrow."

"Summer Rose? You mean Serenity's grandmother?" Raven looked at her questioningly. "Serenity?" She questioned. "Yeah, Serenity Rose. She's my younger cousin. She's Ruby Rose's daughter, therefore Summer's granddaughter." 

"Oh, her. I suppose I forgot about her." At that comment, Kestrel narrowed her eyes. "Forgot?" 

"As much as Serenity interests me, I don't have the time to focus on both you and her. Besides, I believe Qrow has already set her sights on making her one of Ozpin's puppets."

"Ozpin?" Kestrel questioned. "You mean the Headmaster of Beacon before Professor Oscar?" Raven shrugged. "Ozpin, Oscar, they're both the same people." Before Kestrel could ask, Raven continued, "That's one of the reasons I left. Again, I'll explain once I know what I'm doing. Anyways, as I was saying, team STRQ caught the attention of Ozpin. He started showing favoritism, making sure we didn't get in trouble and letting us on missions we weren't supposed to go on. I'm guessing it was due to the fact that not only were Qrow and I able to take on the 'gift' he wanted to give us, but because of Summer's silver eyes."

"What was the gift?"

"The ability to transform into a bird. A raven for me, and a crow for Qrow. Ozpin thought it was appropiate I suppose." Kestrel looked at Raven with wide eyes. "Transform? Like shape-shifting?" Raven nodded. "Exactly. It doesn't take up aura like a semblance would because it's magic, not a semblance."

"Wait...were you the bird who was following me around?" 

"I was. I believed now was the best time to speak with you. This wasn't the first time I'd seen you. I used to check up on you when you were younger, though I highly doubt you remember a random bird. I started checking up on you again when Oso got her worst." Kestrel looked away. "You know about what she did...?" Raven sighed. "I do. It's terrible. However, I'm glad I saw you during that time. It proved to me that you were stronger then your brother and Oso combined." 

"Stronger? How?" Kestrel questioned, and Raven smirked. "Because you dealt with the issue yourself. You didn't bring anyone else into your troubles if you could do it alone. You didn't let her words or actions effect you. I remember watching her leave and how heart broken everyone was. Everyone but you. You had a look of triumph in your eyes. You saw Oso leaving as a victory, did you not?" Kestrel didn't speak, stunned by how well Raven knew her. She was right. Oso leaving was by far Kestrel's greatest victory emotionally and physically. "You did the same to those fools at Signal. You ignore them everyday, not letting what they say effect you. While most children would run to their teachers crying about a bully or beat them into submission, you simply ignored and walked away. A strength like that is something I admire. Which is why I chose to watch out for you and not your siblings."

Kestrel smiled a bit. Not many praised her like that. Usually all she got was a simple "good job" and nothing else. But Raven's words stuck with her. Raven admired her strength, which was silence. "Kestrel, I'm going to be completely honest with you. Yang, Qrow, Tai, even your Aunt, have been lying to you. Lying to you about the Grimm, about Oscar, about Beacon. I know you want the truth, and that's something I can offer." 

Kestrel stared at her wide-eyed in happy shock. She knew that they had been lying to her, though it was something she usually brushed off whenever she got the feeling. "You can?!" Kestrel echoed excitedly, and Raven nodded. "Yes, that and more. I see a strong Huntress in you, one that won't use the usual tactics. One that isn't just going to be told what to do, but instead, go her own path and be able to create her own destiny. I'll train you, and when the time comes, I'll make sure you get into Beacon. I'll make sure you'll be able to protect Serenity and your family from the true darkness that lays overhead. On one condition."

Kestrel and Raven locked eyes, blue meeting crimson, and Raven spoke. "Stay here, with me, until it's time for you to attend Beacon."


	5. Aura Training

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I used some of my personal headcanons/theories about Aura and Semblances in this ^^ How you guys don't mind :D Also, if I got something wrong about aura/semblances, please let me know what I did get wrong!

"I-I'm sorry?" Kestrel stuttered out, completely shocked at what Raven had offered. Raven simply stared at Kestrel patiently, waiting for her response. "You want me to leave my mother...to stay with you?" Raven nodded. "I...don't know how to respond to this. I mean, the apprenticeship would be great, but..." Raven sighed a bit. "I suppose I did throw this at you out of no where. Tell you what, how's about you stay with me for a few days, see how you like it. If you want to go back, then I'll take you, and we'll never speak again. If you want to stay here, then so be it."

Kestrel paused for a moment, still taking in the fact that Raven had offered so much to her at the cost of leaving her mother for three years. "I...yeah. Yeah, I can do that. But, what about my mom if I do decide to leave? Won't she be upset? Won't they coming looking for me?"

"They will, that I'm sure of. However, that sort of thing will be discussed if you stay." Kestrel nodded. "Well, I suppose we shouldn't just sit around doing nothing. I'm guessing you haven't unlocked your aura yet, seeing as that wound still has yet to fully heal, so we should probably work on that first." Kestrel's attitude brightened up from that, and she smiled. "You'll help me unlock it?" Raven nodded, and stood up, reaching her hand out for Kestrel to take it. 

The younger accepted, and stood up, a bit shakily from how long she had been sitting down. The thought of time made Kestrel remember one of the first questions she was going to ask. "Um, Raven?" The black-haired woman let out a small hum of acknowledgement. "How long have I been gone from my house?"

Raven shrugged. "You were gone for all of last night, and it's about four in the afternoon. You've been gone for about fourteen hours." Kestrel's breath hitched for a second at the thought of her mother. She must be so worried about her. "Right, uh, thanks."

"You're worried about Yang's reaction to how long you've been gone, aren't you?" 

"Is it that obvious?" Kestrel sighed out, and Raven looked back at her. "Kestrel, that's something you're going to have to learn to break out of. You need independence from Yang. Do you want to be seen as Kestrel or Yang's daughter?" Raven questioned, a small amount of irritation seeping through her voice. Kestrel didn't respond, thinking about what the older had said. She wanted to be her own individual, she didn't want to be known as "Yang's daughter" or a "Xiao Long." Those were just titles. She wanted to be seen as a person, not a title. 

"Your right. Let's get to work then." Kestrel replied, and Raven nodded approvingly. The duo headed out the back entrance of the tent, one Kestrel just realized was there, and into a practically open field, though a few trees scattered the clearing here and there. "Kestrel, how much do you know about aura?" Raven asked as she walked off the platform and into the grassy field. "Well, it protects you from injuries. It's also what keeps a person's semblance activated and it does have a limit."

"That's what it does, yes, but do you know what aura is generated from? How to expand the limit of it? How it's linked to a person's semblance? Why some people are born with more aura then others?" Kestrel shook her head. "To use aura is to create a physical manifestation of your soul to protect or heal your physical body. It is similar to a muscle, in which it can grow and expand the more we use it, as long as we don't push ourselves too far. The amount of aura you have when you unlock it depends on your spiritual and mental state. If your less stressed and calm, the more aura you have. There are special cases for this not being the case, however this often has to do with the person's semblance having something to do with how much damage they can take. A good example of this would be your mother," Kestrel perked up a bit when Raven mentioned her mother. "When she unlocked her aura, she was extremely frustrated and angry, however due to the fact that she absorbs damage and deals it back worse, she has a high amount of aura. Aura and a person semblance, though unlocked at different times, are connected. Often a person's aura isn't at its fullest potential until they've unlocked their semblance. Again, Yang was never able to use all of her aura because she hadn't unlocked her semblance. Now that she has, she is able to use both her aura and her semblance to their fullest extent." 

Kestrel listened quietly as Raven explained, fascinated by her knowledge. She didn't treat her like a idiotic child like Signal Academy teachers did, but instead, like she was explaining it to someone who didn't know what it was completely. "Is it possible to unlock your semblance before your aura?" Kestrel asked, and Raven paused. "No. That wouldn't be possible. You need an aura for your semblance to function. They may be unlocked at the same time, however that's rare. I haven't seen or heard of that happening since I was a teenager." Kestrel nodded. "I don't know if this is true, but I heard that someone can unlock your aura by using their own. Is that possible?"

"It is, though I won't be unlocking yours. Unlocking your aura without another person's help is better in the long run." 

"How?" Kestrel questioned. "Simple. If you know how to unlock your own aura, therefore knowing how to use it, it'd be a lot easier to practice using it, therefore easier to grow it. Everyone nowadays seems to forget that. Now, we should start by seeing how long you can concentrate. This will paint a good picture of how much aura you'll have when you unlock it."  
Kestrel walked off the wooden platform, standing a few feet away from Raven. "Do exactly as I tell you, and don't stop until I say so or you can't do it anymore. Understood?" Kestrel nodded, and Raven backed up a bit. "Sit down." She ordered, and Kestrel did as she was told. She crossed her legs, and Raven nodded. "Put your hands on your knees and close your eyes. Don't open your eyes until I say so." Kestrel followed Raven's orders, and let out a small breath she didn't realize she was holding. 

After a bit of staying that position, Kestrel heard a slight tapping sound on a nearby tree. As the tapping continued, Kestrel could feel footsteps walking around where she remembered the tree was. Raven was trying to get her to open her eyes. Kestrel ignored the sounds, believing this to be a test of her will. Raven hadn't told her to stop, so she wouldn't. Simple as that.

Soon, the tapping on the tree stopped, and the light shaking of leaves above her caught her attention. They were easy to ignore, until a few began to fall, causing Kestrel to grit her teeth. The small leaves brushed up against her arms, a few touching her face as they fell. Another test, this one more difficult then the last. The light feeling of the leaves brushing against her face made her want to move them away, but she stayed strong, until finally, they stopped.

Everything was silent, but Kestrel could feel Raven walking nearby. Her footsteps were light, though she could tell that Raven was treading even lighter then usual. The way her footsteps weren't as fast as a normal person's was when they were normally walking told Kestrel that Raven was walking slowly. A light breeze blew through the clearing, moving Kestrel's hair into her face, and the after lying cold chill made her want to shiver. She stopped herself, as difficult as it was, not knowing if a shiver would count her out. 

Raven had stopped moving at this point, and was now standing to the right of Kestrel, and from the information Kestrel was able to gain from her footsteps, she was about ten feet away from her. Kestrel listened, and heard a light clicking sound, one that she recognized as the sound of dust chambers moving in a revolver. The quiet sound of a blade against what Kestrel guessed was leather, and Kestrel knew she had drawn her sword.

A sweeping sound filled the air around Kestrel, and she knew Raven had swung at her. She gritted her teeth as Raven swung a few more times, barely missing her each time. Kestrel knew that if she were to move now, she would have definitely been seriously hurt.

"Stop." Raven's voice rang in Kestrel's ears. She blinked a few times and let her arms rest to her sides. "Well done. I haven't seen someone do that as well as you have since Vernal."

"Vernal? Who's that?" Raven let out a small hum as she sheathed her sword. "Back when this place was still up and running, she was my second-in-command. She passed away a long time ago, though. Before you were born." Kestrel let a small "oh" sound, and stood up. "Now, Kestrel, what did I do to you while you sat there?" 

"You tapped on the tree to the right of me, then you waited a minute or two before shaking the leaves onto me. After that, you stopped and waited for the dusk breeze to blow the leaves away. After that, you circled me a couple times, walking as lightly as possible so I wouldn't be able to sense you. Then you unsheathed your sword and swung it at me. Had I moved during that time you would've have easily hit me." Raven smiled, a glimmer of what seemed like pride in her eyes. "I wasn't wrong when I chose you. Now come on, it's getting dark out, and I'm sure you have some more questions you want me to answer."


	6. Learning From Mistsakes

It was the first full day of Kestrel staying with Raven, the two of them deciding the night before that she would stay with her for three days, and then she would decide whether or not to stay until Kestrel went to Beacon. Kestrel and Raven were in the clearing they had been in the day before, and were doing aura practice.

Raven watched from a few feet away as Kestrel concentrated on the cut on her arm. It was a test to see if she could summon her aura, seeing as she was already past the basics. Kestrel's blue gaze was locked onto the small cut, the slight stinging feeling fading as she concentrated harder on it. They had been at it for almost forty five minutes at that point, Kestrel's concentration not breaking once, and Raven patiently waiting, not making any harsh movements so she didn't break Kestrel's concentration. 

"I can't feel it." Kestrel spoke, cutting through the silence like a hot blade through wax. Raven looked up, completely focused on Kestrel now. "I've blocked out the pain."

"Good, very good. Try and go faster. Again." Kestrel nodded, grabbing the small dull knife from beside her and just barely dragging it sideways across her arm. She took a deep breath, releasing slowly, and began concentrating like she had done the previous time. The stinging feeling went away a lot faster then before. 

"Done." 

"You went from forty five minutes to two. What mistake did you make last time?" Raven questioned, and Kestrel gritted her teeth. The one thing she disliked about Raven's teaching was the fact that Kestrel had to admit where she went wrong. And sometimes, she was wrong about what she got wrong, which wasn't exactly the most confidence-boosting thing in the world. "I focused on a larger area the first time. I thought about my entire arm, not the area around the cut."

"An easy mistake to make, which is easily fixable when you realize you've done it. I think we're done with that lesson. We went through it a lot faster then I thought you would." Kestrel let out a sigh of relief. They had been working on that from six a.m., and now it was about seven. "Don't get too relieved. We're doing another lesson."

"Which lesson would that be?"

"Healing. While blocking out the pain is good, it can also be terrible. If you always block out the pain without attempting to heal it, the wound can get infected and you won't feel a thing until it's too late. Since you've already got open wounds on your arm, we'll use those." 

Raven sat down across from Kestrel in the grass, grabbing one of the sharp blades she kept in her boot and making a similar cut to the ones that were on Kestrel's arm. The one that she had made was deep enough to bleed, and Kestrel watched Raven intently. "My wounds are deeper, and will therefore take more concentration to heal. Watch."

Kestrel's gaze switched between Raven's face and the blood that dripped down her arm. Raven let out a small sigh, and as quick as it came, the wound was gone. There wasn't a sign that the cut had been there other then one blood droplet that had gotten on Raven's boot. Wiping it off, Raven opened her eyes and nodded at Kestrel, signaling for her to do the same. "It's just like focusing the pain out. Focus the pain, but don't stop there. Think about your arm before it had been damaged. I want you to at least heal one of the cuts, if you could do both, that'd be even better."

Kestrel followed Raven's directions exactly as she had said them. She focused on the small cuts on her arm, her eyes narrowed in concentration. She brought into her mind the pale skin that usually lay untouched where the cuts were, and how she wanted that back. She closed her eyes, let out a deep breath, and felt a small tingling sense in her arm. She opened her arms again to see that one of the cuts was healing. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she smiled. She looked up at Raven, who had a pleased expression on her face. Instead of stopping with the one, Kestrel continued, wanting to keep that expression on Raven's face. 

After both cuts were gone and her skin was back to normal, Raven spoke. "Well done. You learned from your mistakes when you were blocking out the pain, and because of that, you were able to use your new gained knowledge in this lesson." Kestrel nodded, and stood up, stretching her back. "That's why I have you admit your mistakes to me." Kestrel stopped, and Raven stood up as well. "Don't think for a second I didn't see how much you hated admitting you had messed up to me. As much as you like to think that you would've remembered not to do that, I doubt you would've. Instead of taking the few minutes it did to heal those cuts, it would've taken a few hours. Admitting your mistakes to those who know more then you and who want you to get better is one of the greatest ways to learn from those mistakes."

"So, now what? Are we doing another lesson?" Raven shook her head. "No, I thought it'd be nice for you to get a look of the forest. See if there's any Grimm around the area and so you can get a good look of the land." Kestrel flinched at the word Grimm. "Grimm? But you saw me with the Ursa. I can't-"

"You'll be watching. It'll be good experience since you want to use a bladed weapon like mine." 

"How-" Raven cut her off again. "I can tell by your posture and aura levels. I believe with the way your going, you'll be using a sword similar to my own, though I'm thinking your going to use a sniper rifle instead a revolver." Kestrel's job dropped a little. "You can tell all that out by posture and aura levels?" Raven hummed in a response. "That and your attitude. Your quiet, alert, and your a visionary learner. You watched me do something and were able to learn from that. Most people are a more of a hands on learner when it comes to fighting, but your able to pick up things as you watch."

"You know how to read people really well." Raven chuckled. "That happens when you've lived a life like I have. I've made many enemies and not nearly as many allies. When it comes down to those situations, you need to know true allies and how bad an enemy is. But that's enough about me. We should get heading out. Time passes quickly." Kestrel nodded, and followed after Raven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to apologize if Raven seems OOC right now (she's changed as a person due to things that have happened over the years, as everyone does.)


	7. Chapter 7

Kestrel looked around in awe at the forest around her. It seemed untouched by civilization, as if human nor Grimm had ever existed in the first place. Raven walked beside her, not at all concerned with how the forest appeared, as she had lived there for more of her years then she had in villages or cities. "How long have you lived here?" 

"Longer then you've been alive, I'll tell you that." Kestrel decided not to prod, silently smiling to herself. Raven was similar to Qrow when it came to the fact that they hated admitting they were older then they appeared. "So, where are we going first?"

"My tribe's northern border. It was the closest to civilization, about a mile and a half off, and was where we were first attacked."

"Attacked?" Raven glanced away, giving a curt nod. "I suppose you have the right to know what happened." Kestrel turned to her, eager to here the story of the tribe. "A few years ago, maybe three or four, a Huntsmen party had come to our camp. They had finally found the position of our borders and base after someone pointed it out to them. Even with my skill, we were outmatched and outnumbered. They completely demolished the place, all except my tent, as a sign that they won I guess. I lost many good men, and the rest left or died from injuries." 

"Who told them where your camp was? An ex-member?"

"Qrow did." Kestrel's eyes widened in surprised. "Why? Didn't he grow up there too?" Raven nodded. "He did, but he hated us. After the fight between me and him, the one where Vernal was killed, he refused to speak with me. If I even attempted to get close to him or anyone he cared about, he'd chew me out, saying that I had no right to know about his family, not after what I had done." Kestrel felt a sense of pity as the older woman retold the tale, feeling bad she had brought it up. She had been seperated away from Kestrel and her family because of Kestrel's mother and Qrow, possibly even her grandfather and aunt.

"I'm sorry..." Kestrel whispered, and Raven looked down at her. "You have nothing to apologize for. As I said, people must admit their defeats to those they trust or they'll make the same mistake again."

"Is that why you want to train me?" Raven blinked in surprise. "To make up for not being there for your family?" Raven looked away, and sighed. "That's one of the reasons." She admitted, and Kestrel looked ahead. Ahead of them, some of the trees showed signs of scarring, cut marks and burned oak scattered across them. They became more and more frequent as the two walked forward. Raven stopped abruptly, and Kestrel stopped a few feet ahead of her. 

"This is where the first attack took place." She spoke, and Kestrel looked back at her. Claw marks now littered the trees along with the burns and cuts, ones that Kestrel recognized from the wound on her leg. "Grimm were here too..."

"They were attracted by the negative energy. That happens when your fighting for your life." Raven replied. As soon as she said that however, she shoved Kestrel back and drew her sword. "Rav-" Kestrel's voice was cut off by a loud snarl and the ground around her shaking. "Get to a position where you can see but aren't in harms way, now!" Kestrel scrambled to her feet, and looked up. A tree that was partially burned had split in places where she could pull herself up. 

As soon as she spotted the hiding spot, a large, lizard-like Grimm shot up from the ground throwing Raven off balance. Kestrel shook her head, gaining her bearings and climbed. Raven could handle herself. She didn't survive out here by herself because she was weak. 

Raven quickly gained her balance off more, swinging around to face the Grimm. Kestrel didn't recognize it, so she made a mental note to ask Raven what kind it was after the fight. The lizard-like creature hissed at Raven before charging at her with great speed, it's inverted hindlimbs twitchy as it did so. Raven rolled out of the way, and the Grimm slid to the left, easily maneuvering to face Raven once again. It was fast and coordinated. Kestrel looked at the Grimm, trying to figure out how with only two limbs it could stay so balanced. 

The Grimm cocked it's head to the side as Raven unsheathed her sword, Kestrel's mind imagining the clicking sound that the revolver part of it made. Raven side-walked towards it, keeping a steady-hand on her sword. The Grimm backed up and jumped, diving it's head into the ground, clawing it's way for it's body. As it made it's way almost completely underground, it's tail was exposed, and Raven took that moment to strike. She used the gun part of her sheath to boost her towards the exposed Grimm part, landing lighting on the upper part of her foot. She quickly dispatched of the tail with one swipe of her sword, the limb falling off and turning into a cloud of black smoke before dissipating. The scream of the Grimm could be heard from under the ground, and it's stubby head busted from under the ground. It climbed up wobbly, it's legs shaking more then before. It attempted to charge at Raven again, but was unbalanced and tripped, body slamming into the tree Kestrel was in. She clutched onto the branch, praying that it wouldn't break and that the Grimm wouldn't sense her. 

Either luck was on her side or the Grimm was too focused on Raven to care, but the tail-less monster rose up once more, making a strange gargling sound at Raven before attempting again to charge her. It feel again, and it failed to push itself up again before Raven made her way over to it. As it's head laid on the dirt floor, Raven aimed her weapon and slashed upwards from underside of it's neck, cutting cleanly through it's neck. 

Both parts of the lizard-Grimm disappeared, and Kestrel jumped down from her hiding spot, landing lightly as Raven sheathed her sword. "Creepers. Nasty things if you don't take out the tail right away." She commented, and Kestrel approached her. "You took care of it really fast."

"Well, you get good at killing things like that after you've been doing it for a while. Come on, we should head back to the east border. We're less likely to find any Grimm there, but there is something there I want to show you."


	8. Update (Rewriting this story)

Yeah, I'm not proud of this. I'm going to rewrite this and the other story on my account.


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